The Crisis That Never Happened

RIDING ALONG THE LONG, winding road both calmed Jordan and distracted her. Being in nature usually has a calming effect on people and Jordan was no exception as the trees became denser, their buds beginning to bloom beautifully. Loose petals danced with the breeze, seemingly racing alongside Jordan and her car. Such a serene environment also had the tendency to catch Jordan in a thought loop. Random and often immature thoughts would run through her mind, keeping her from truly focusing on driving. She traveled back in time to when she was around seventeen. Although her face was blank, the face in her mind had narrow eyes.

Now that I think about it... Sandra shouldn't have gotten suspended. It was her dress! Who cares how tight it was? She had the body for it felt comfortable enough to wear it. No one told Tyler to stare at her. Just because he can't control his hormones doesn't mean she has to. The nerve! I should've run him over in the parking lot.

She would zone back in for a few seconds before zoning out again. She often laughed, wondering why she hasn't crashed yet over these past ten years. According to her insurance, she was such a safe driver. She knew better. Anyone who knew her knew better. The Hispanic twins she tutors often joke with her about making driving tests stricter as well as having a mandatory test every ten years. Just because you drive the speed limit when you're sixteen doesn't mean that you won't go fifteen over the speed limit by the time you're twenty. Jordan thought that the twins had a point, especially if you're driving in South Carolina.

"-Alex didn't even care! Can you believe that? Doesn't he know how hard I work? His parents are putting him through college. He doesn't even have to worry about his car note or his phone bill. He's spoiled and he won't even admit it. My parents help when they can, but I still have to have two jobs and write articles online just to pay bills and attempt to live comfortably. He doesn't get it, you know," Cara rants, fuming at her boyfriend once again. Jordan smiled, feeling bad she didn't hear the first half of Cara's monologue. The winding road began to straighten out and go uphill. The road stretched out at least two or three miles ahead.

"He's so carefree all the time. He's lucky I like him. Honestly. Why can't he-"

Jordan narrowed her eyes, trying to focus on what Cara was saying, but a strange high pitched whirring distracted her. What was that? Jordan checked all of her rearview mirrors but the road trailed behind her, completely empty. There isn't another vehicle in sight. Was it her own car? She hoped not. She thought of the last time she had her oil changed and her tires rotated. She just got a new radiator too. Her mechanic said everything else was fine but was it really?

She clenched her teeth as she continued on the road. Now the ground beneath her car was flat and straight. It continued like this for miles passing by several little rivers which would empty out into the lake nearby. As she was crossing a widened bridge, the strange noise got louder. She slowed her car down almost to a complete stop, afraid her car may be damaged more than she expected. The whirring continued when she pulled over onto the right shoulder, stopped, and put her car in park.

"Cara, I can't hear you. H-hold on okay," Jordan said into the Bluetooth, not waiting for a response. Jordan quickly pressed her emergency lights before taking her key out of the ignition. She pressed the button on the left-hand side of her steering wheel that would open the front hood of her car that gave her access to the engine. Immediately the hood popped up.

No smoke.

Jordan steps out of the car mumbling in frustration. She began ranting to herself about having to contact AAA for roadside assistance more often than necessary nowadays. She walks around to the front of her car, watching the road in case anyone came her way.

The whirring got impossibly louder as she got to her engine. Nothing seems out of the ordinary in the slightest, confusing Jordan. The whirring didn't stop. Maybe it was the water pressure in the river? No. Roaring water has never been this loud. Besides, the water seems pretty calm.

Jordan peers over at the water just to be sure. She was right. The water was still, hardly affected by the wind breezing by. The wind was definitely picking up though. In disbelief, Jordan leaned closer to the water, holding tightly to the rail as her body trembled beneath her. At least she hoped it was just her body trembling. The reflection only meant one thing. She stared up into the sky. Sure enough, there was an airplane, closer than needs be, nosediving towards the quiet river next to her. She saw it before she smelled and this time she knew for sure.

There's smoke. Billowing, thickening, impenetrable clouds of black smoke cascading down towards the flowing river.

Without cause.

Without warning.

Without hesitation as the crash shook the very foundation of the Earth itself.